Seeker
by Ridan Rose
Summary: Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman fanfic. Sephy and Callum meet in the after life. Love, forgiveness, and the realization that as long as they find each other, everything will be all right.


**Seeker**

* * *

Her father had always said that once a person entered the afterlife, they returned to the best stage of their previous life. The prime of their life, if you will. It was ironic, almost, that a man so wrong about so many things would be right about this one.

It was also ironic that the apparent prime of Sephy's life was one of the times during which she felt most miserable. It was the time during which she was still pregnant with Callie Rose. She'd been so lost then, so confused, and forsaken by the people she loved the most. All except Callum, at least.

_Callum..._It wasas if the simple thought of him was enough to bring him to her. Perhaps it was, at a place like that. Whatever the case, soft footsteps sounded behind her and she knew, without having to turn, that it was him.

Soft lips brushed the back of her neck. She sensed rather than felt his rough hands run down her side, and suddenly it was like no years had passed at all. They were kissing again, kissing with the wild abandon of their youth, wanting nothing more than to consume and keep by each other's side forever.

She pulled away first. "Hello, Callum." Her voice was surprisingly calm given how she felt inside.

"Hi, Sephy," he said in a voice that had not changed a bit since Sephy's last memory of him. "I've been waiting."

"I haven't kept you too long, I hope?" she teased, both because it was fun joking with him and also to calm herself.

"Of course not. Time runs differently here than it does in the mortal realm," he gestured to the wide space around them. "This is limbo. I've seen everything you've done, all you've become, all our daughter's become, yet it's as if no time's passed at all."

She smiled slightly, and leant back against him. They stood there for a while, cuddling spoon-style and simply grateful to be with each other again. "I wish you had been there when Callie Rose was growing up," she said.

"I think we both do," he replied softly.

She turned around to face him. "Sometimes I think it'd be better if we never met, you know? Because then maybe you'd still be alive." It was a selfish thought, she admitted to herself. She felt guilty that he had virtually died because of her, and she didn't want to carry the guilt with her.

He cupped her chin in his hands. "Don't ever think like that, okay? Ever." His voice was soft. "If I hadn't met you, I would be more than dead because I would never have had our love to hold on to. And what about Callie Rose? We wouldn't have had such a gorgeous daughter."

"I know you're right," she sighed. "I just wish...if only things had been..."

"Different," he finished for her.

"Yeah."

They stood like that for a few seconds more, simply enjoying each other's company. He broke the silence quite suddenly. "You married again."

"I did," she replied, not exactly surprised; she had been waiting for the question. "His name is Nathan."

"Do you love him?"

She faltered a little, but managed to grin. "You know me, Callum. Would I marry somebody if I didn't love them?"

To her relief, he smiled warmly. "I'm glad for you."

"Are you really?" she asked, and immediately regretted it. _I might as well get it over with, _she reasoned with herself._ I had to know the answer._

"Of course. I couldn't expect you to hold onto me forever, and you know that all I really want is for you to be happy." He kissed her again, before continuing. "I know you could love both of us at the same time, and I'm almost glad to give up the kind of passion we had for a love you stayed with for so long. I'm glad for you, Sephy." She knew he meant it.

"Thank you."

Callum swallowed. "I saw your mother, and Jude."

Sephy was surprised. "Really? Where is she? I've missed her so much."

"She's moved on, Sephy," Callum replied. "But she wants me to tell you that she loves you very very much."

"Moved on?" Her expression of confusion soon became one of understanding. "You said we were in limbo, didn't you? Does that mean we'll have to move on eventually, too? Why are you still here?"

"I'm here because people still holding on to things, things like you, have to resolve their issues before they can be reincarnated. I'm here because my love for you is keeping me. Now that I've seen you, now that you've seen me and now that we both know we're forgiven for everything in our lives, we can both move on."

She smiled, then frowned again. "And what about Jude?"

Callum sighed. "I honestly don't know. He came here looking completely lost, and he hasn't moved on yet. It's obvious he's holding onto something, but I don't think there's anything anyone can do to help him let go."

Sephy nodded sadly, acknowledging silently that neither of them could help Jude, however much they want to, however much he needs them to. Then it struck her. "Cara."

"Cara? The woman Jude murdered?" Callum raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I don't know why he hasn't called for her yet, but those seeking someone in limbo will usually find them just by acknowledging that they need that person."

"Perhaps he's afraid to acknowledge. Perhaps he's too afraid to try." Sephy shook her head. "There is absolutely nothing we can do, aside from make the suggestion. In the end, he's the only one who can help himself. Always has been."

Callum nodded and pulled her against him again. They stood, in a world not quite like reality but too true to be a dream, doused in their love for each other, putting off the inevitable. He gently dropped his hands from around her waist. "Ready?"

Sephy looked up, dark eyes full of emotion. "Not in the least. Callum, I'm not ready to lose you again."

"Hey," he leant down and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. "This isn't called losing. This is called giving us another chance, giving our destiny a chance to be different. I will find you, Persephone Hadley. I've found you twice already, perhaps more, and I will find you again."

A tear splattered on his shirt, and he laughed. "It's okay, Sephy. It's okay."

She nodded, leaning against him. "I know you'll find me. We'll find each other, and things will be different. We'll find each other."

Together, they took the few steps needed, crossed the barrier of absolutes, and moved on.

A few days later, a nought girl and a Cross boy were born in a city not far from Callie Rose's current residence. Things were not as different as they hoped, but it was all right.

Everything was all right, as long as they found each other.


End file.
